A family friend of ours is looking to do a high school science fair project to research starfish wasting disease but does not have any experience keeping saltwater. The setup I thought would work would be 4-5 10 gallon systems each with a single chocolate chip star, some sand and live rock. She is planning to run this for several months and use temperature as the variable to change amongst the various systems. I realize that systems of that size are not viable for the long term but with a careful eye to water quality should this work to keep the sea stars alive for the duration of the project?
Sea Star Wasting Disease science fair project
- Thread starter BonesCJ
- Start date
Silvergryphon
Member
I know that is a big problem up here in the Pac NW. From what i understand of it it is affecting more moderate-cold water star species and not the tropical ones. I maybe wrong though.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
I'm not familiar with what going on (I'm highly interested though!)
But in reguards to the systems themselves, sometimes my feeder stars don't last long in my refugium. Keep in mind protocaster is sometimes canibilistic which can be an issue (one I never experienced myself or bothered to prepare for), also note that starfish are very touchy in water quality.. they hate any small traces of nitrates and any ph/salinity swings (acclimate carefully unlike other livestock)
This will be especially difficult in a 10 gallon to keep up with the water quality.. I'm glad you acknowledged the size requirements down the road though. However, other than a careful eye.. very good water quality, not much else I can say. Any CC stars I got losing chips all ended up melting away. Are you guys able to cycle these systems?
Oh and don't forget the filteration!
But in reguards to the systems themselves, sometimes my feeder stars don't last long in my refugium. Keep in mind protocaster is sometimes canibilistic which can be an issue (one I never experienced myself or bothered to prepare for), also note that starfish are very touchy in water quality.. they hate any small traces of nitrates and any ph/salinity swings (acclimate carefully unlike other livestock)
This will be especially difficult in a 10 gallon to keep up with the water quality.. I'm glad you acknowledged the size requirements down the road though. However, other than a careful eye.. very good water quality, not much else I can say. Any CC stars I got losing chips all ended up melting away. Are you guys able to cycle these systems?
Oh and don't forget the filteration!
